


Revelations

by GoodbyeBlueMonday



Series: Reflections [1]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Drabble, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Manga Spoilers, One Shot Collection, Post-Coital, Post-Coital Cuddling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-29
Updated: 2014-03-29
Packaged: 2018-01-17 11:31:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 624
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1386061
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GoodbyeBlueMonday/pseuds/GoodbyeBlueMonday
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Both boys do their fair share of wishing the other would keep his mouth shut.</p><p>Set early in the series, but with spoilers for the big reveal during the Castle Utgard arc.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Revelations

Reiner rolled over to look at him. Bertolt looked so nervous, so vulnerable most of the time, but it was only here - shining with sweat and all other manner of bodily fluids, naked, wrapped in bedsheets, at his  _most_ vulnerable - that he could seem at ease.

"You didn't have to say so much, you know," Reiner said, sliding his fingers through the other boy's hair. "That was a pretty impressive string of bullshit you let out there."

"Well, at least someone's good at bullshitting," Bertolt said, as he rolled over and rested his head against Reiner's shoulder. "It's scary sometimes. You almost seem...sincere, the way you talk to them."

The shorter boy tutted. "I'm just a better actor than you are, Bert," he said, and wrapped his arms around Bertolt before the other one could protest. He hoped the other boy believed him. Reiner wasn't sure himself.

It was something that he honestly worried about, if spending too much time among his fellow trainees was getting him to see it their way. He admired the remove and resolve that Bert and Annie could have; their assurance that their mission was the right thing to do, that all the lives cost were worth it... that the ends justified the means. He'd once been like that, too. But when he heard those three kids from Shiganshima talk about how their village was destroyed, Sasha and Connie talk about their food shortages...

Maybe underneath the armor, he really was that soft. Maybe Annie was right when she teased him.

Maybe it wasn't just teasing, but genuine concern. Maybe she could see right through him.

Maybe even Bertolt could.

But if he could, he wouldn't let on, playing along with the charade. "Maybe you are," Bert said as he snuggled into Reiner's warm, hard muscles. "I don't know. I'm tired."

"We're a mess. We should clean up."

"I think the others are still awake. I don't know if I want them to know..."

Reiner knew what that meant.  _I don't want Annie to know_. He knew how Bert felt about her. He knew that _this_ was just a form of mutual stress relief, getting out the tension from having to play pretend all day. Taking their masks off by taking  _everything_ off. At least, that's what it was supposed to be. What they both wanted it to be.

Right?

Reiner nodded, hummed in agreement, and changed the subject.

"So you agree with me that helping Eren out, getting to know him better, could be a good idea?"

Bert nodded against Reiner's shoulder; the knocking was weirdly soothing, and Reiner smoothed his hand through Bert's sweaty hair again. "Your theories make sense," Bert said. It was his way of telling Reiner to go through them again. Bert was never the one for logic, and he was too tired right now anyway. Logic was typically Annie's department, but one of them had to pick up the slack  _here_.

"Yeah, his father is important to the government in some way. Involved in medicine and scientific research. I really think one of those three could be a Shifter. Maybe even the Coordinate."

Normally, Bert might question him on this, but instead he just rolled his face against Reiner's neck and hummed. "Makes sense," he said. "Well, best chance we've got right now."

"Yep," Reiner said as he held his friend close. He was beginning to feel sleepy, too.

They were sticky, and perhaps they needed a shower, but Bert was right. They couldn't risk blowing their covers. So instead he let his head rest against the pillow, pulled Bert closer and went to sleep.

Reiner wouldn't let his feelings get in the way. He wouldn't.

In here, or out there. Anywhere.


End file.
